From Darkness to Hope
In the Palace of Wonderland, in the great throne room, the new captain of the guard knelt before the queen. The tension was palpable in the air. The captain knew he was about to face the devastating wrath of the queen, already furious over Maddox’s escape. He was shaking, his heart pounding. He couldn’t lie to his queen; she would know, or eventually realize it.
“Your Majesty,” he began, his voice shaking, “something seems to be blocking the rabbit hole. We are still moving forward, but much slower than before.”
The queen fixed her icy gaze on him, her face contorted in anger. “What are you saying? How dare you come before me with such news?”
The captain knew what was going to happen even before she pronounced the sentence. He was terrified, feeling that he could not escape his fate. "I am sorry, Your Majesty. We are doing everything we can..."
The Queen straightened up in her throne, her expression unforgiving. "Executioner!" she called loudly.
The executioner stepped forward, holding his massive axe with cold determination. The Captain, feeling betrayed by his own body that trembled in fear, closed his eyes as the executioner raised the weapon. The axe came down with a dull thud, ending the Captain's life in a burst of blood. The throne room was silent, filled only with the echo of the deadly sentence.
But the Queen did not stop there. She randomly pointed at ten other soldiers, cruelly sealing their fates with a snap of her fingers. The designated soldiers blanched in terror, realizing that nothing could save them. They fell to their knees, begging for their lives, but their pleas went unanswered. The executioner carried out every order with terrifying precision, turning the throne room into a place of carnage.
The queen, despite her fury, secretly relished this moment of absolute power. Her cruelty knew no bounds, and she revelled in the slavish obedience and the terror it inspired.
**********
On the resistance side, Eamon went to Maddox's bedside, who was slowly recovering from his torture. The room was modest but comfortable, and Maddox lay there, exhausted but alive. Eamon sat down next to him, a reassuring smile on his face.
"Maddox, I have news," Eamon said softly. "The tunnel is moving much slower than before, it seems that some kind of magic is slowing the guards' progress. And... it seems to be coming from the other side."
Maddox smiled for the first time in a long time. "Red... she was always clever. She found a way." His eyes lit up with new hope. "That means Auradon is now warned. They'll be ready for what's coming."
This news lifted a huge weight from his shoulders, and for the first time in weeks, Maddox felt an inner peace settle over him. "Thank you, Eamon. Thank you for bringing me this news."
Before falling asleep, finally reassured and at peace, Maddox gave a letter to Eamon to send to Auradon. "I miss Red," he murmured, slipping the letter into Eamon's hand. "I'm sure she thinks of me too, even if she'll never admit it."
**********
Life went on at Auradon Prep. Even though King Ben's army was slowly getting into position to prepare for the impending threat, most students were unaware of the events that were taking place. Security measures were tightened, regular patrols were organized, and evacuation plans were made.
To maintain some normalcy and continue living, the school was holding a Halloween masquerade ball. It was a chance for the students to relax and enjoy a festive evening. Upon hearing about the ball, Chloe jumped for joy along with her friends.
"A masquerade ball! This is going to be great!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement.
Bridget teased her with a smile. "Looks like you're ready to rush out and ask Red, don't you?"
Chloe burst out laughing. "You're absolutely right, Bridget. I'm going to ask Red right now!" »
Red was in their room, concentrating on a drawing, when she heard Chloe rush in. She looked up and smiled back, unable to help but be happy as she felt Chloe's radiant happiness through her sixth sense.
Chloe, without a word, held out her hand to Red, who accepted it willingly. To her surprise, Chloe gently led her into a slow dance, all the while singing tenderly.
So this is love
So this is love
So this is what makes life divine
I'm all aglow, and now I know
The key to all heaven is mine
Red let herself be lulled by Chloe's soft voice, resting her head on her shoulder. She closed her eyes, savoring every note of the song and every heartbeat. The words of the song resonated within her, reinforcing her love for Chloe.
When Chloe stopped singing, she put Red back in front of her, knelt down and kissed his hand. "Red, my angel, would you agree to accompany me to the ball?"
Red, moved by this gesture, felt her heart swell with love and gratitude. "Of course, princess. It would be an honor."
Chloe stood up and kissed him tenderly, thus sealing their promise to share another magical moment together, despite the difficulties, and the war that was brewing.